Dumebi Kachikwu, ADC presidential candidate, tests positive for COVID

Dumebi Kachikwu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says he has tested positive for COVID.

Disclosing this in a statement on Friday, the presidential candidate said he was isolating and had cancelled all public events till he receives a negative report.

According to NAN, he called on Nigerians to be vigilant and not take the virus for granted.

“Nigerians must not let their guard down even though the government has relaxed COVID rules,” he said.

“Our public health system can’t cope with the fallout of huge infection rates with attendant symptoms, especially at a time when our health care professionals are leaving the country in droves.

“We must increase testing and take all necessary precautions not to spread the virus.

“We must not allow political rallies to become COVID spreaders and reverse the gains made in combating the virus. We will survive the coronavirus if we all remain vigilant.”

The development comes hours fter the presidential candidate appeared in an interview on Politics Today, a programme by Channels Television.

A faction of the ADC had expelled Kachikwu over alleged anti-party activities.

But Kachikwu remains the party’s presidential candidate according to the final list published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).